CT diagnosis of bucket handle meniscus tear

Abstract

Bucket handle meniscus tears are difficult to diagnosis and are one of the most frequently missed tear patterns on magnetic resonance imaging (MR). However, this meniscal injury often requires arthroscopic intervention and preoperative characterization of the tear is important to orthopedic surgeons for treatment planning. MR is currently the best imaging modality for evaluating meniscal tears, but trauma patients in the emergency room more often undergo radiographs and further evaluation with computed tomography (CT) exams. To date, there is one study from 1988 that reported the value of CT in diagnosing bucket handle meniscus tears. We present an informative case of bucket handle meniscus tear after acute traumatic knee injury that was diagnosed on CT and later confirmed on arthroscopy.